Load for Ruger Old Army
My new Ruger Old Army arrived today and I'm wondering about a possible load. The Ruger manual calls for a .457 round ball. Is it possible to use a Lyman .45 caliber 230 grain roundnose, flatbase bullet? It is the old Lyman 452374 which I have plenty of. It mikes at .452-.454, depending on whether or not it is sized. They would have to be tapped in with a small plastic mallet because the bullet won't fit under the rammer. Would this smaller diameter cause a gas seal problem?
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The .457 ball diameter is needed in order to have the ball shave off a small ring of lead as it is seated. This ensures a tight seal and avoids the risk of flashover (multiple chamber discharge) without haveing to seal the fronts of the chambers. Generally, a bullet shaped projectile has to be a little smaller in diameter due to the difficulty of seating it if it is much oversize for the chamber. I'd say .452 - .454 is a little small (though they would seat easily) and flashover could be a risk and I'd also bet on not so good accuracy. 0
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